Conventional golf balls generally comprise a core surrounded by a cover and optionally intermediate layers there between. The cover forms a spherical outer surface and typically includes a plurality of dimples. The core and/or the cover may incorporate multiple layers and the core may be solid or have a fluid-filled center surrounded by windings and/or molded material. Golf ball covers may be formed from a variety of materials such as balata, polyurethane, polyurea, and/or thermoplastic compositions and ionomer resins such as SURLYN® and IOTEK®, depending upon the desired performance characteristics of the golf ball and desired properties of the cover.
Golf balls are conventionally white, but may also be manufactured with essentially any desired solid color. The solid color may be incorporated in the cover material itself or be applied to the cover outer surface as a coating. Typically, in a painted golf ball, a first coat or primer layer of paint is applied, followed by a second, i.e., finishing coat or layer.
A visually appealing golf ball may boost confidence, which could translate directly into better performance. Accordingly, golfers have enjoyed distinguishing themselves on the green by playing a golf ball having a unique visual appearance. In this regard, golf balls have been customized manually using permanent marker to ink multiple colors onto a golf ball surface. Additionally, printing and stamping methods/systems also exist for applying localized multi-color indicia/markings such as a trademark, logo, design, identification number, model name and/or number onto a golf ball surface. In such systems, ink is applied to a prefab printing plate or stamp which is then applied onto a limited portion of the golf ball surface. More recently, digital images have even been created and uploaded into a program, golf balls loaded into a printer, and then the prefab multi-color digital image applied to a localized portion of the golf ball surface. However, such methods are designed for limited and localized application.
Automated systems for painting/coating a single color onto a golf ball outer surface are known but are not suitable for painting multiple colors onto a golf ball outer surface. In one painting/coating method/system, a light source for each spray gun illuminates a spray location on the golf ball surface to be painted and each coating gun paints the same color onto its respective illuminated spray location. In this system, a tracking device locates the actual golf ball position and an adjuster synchronizes the spray location with the golf ball position to improve accuracy in the painting process. But such systems cannot be utilized to apply more than one color to the golf ball outer surface because these devices lack any way of preventing paint from undesirably running, splattering, seeping or otherwise migrating from one discrete color region to another on the golf ball's very limited surface area.
While dual-colored golf balls exist wherein a different color is incorporated directly into first and second half shell cover parts which are formed about the inner layers, many golfers prefer the unique overall golf ball color appearance achieved where color is applied/painted/coated onto the golf ball cover outer surface. Thus, there is a need for an automated system designed to paint/coat a golf ball a plurality of different colors producing golf balls possessing a unique overall cosmetic visual appearance comprising and displaying a predetermined multi-colored pattern. The present invention addresses and solves this need.